Gas Market Fraud
Debate between Sandra Osborne and Ed Davey(12 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Mr Davey
I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. It is absolutely critical that markets are fair, because British consumers deserve fair markets. In my previous ministerial role at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, I was charged with reviewing competition law. I was responsible for a lot of the reforms in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill, because I believe that we need to ensure that our markets are working properly and in the public interest.
Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (Lab)
How can the Secretary of State still have confidence in Ofgem when it has signally failed to force the energy companies to pass on price cuts to consumers? Our constituents are suffering badly as a result of that.
Mr Davey
I refer the hon. Lady to Ofgem’s “Retail Market Review”, which was published recently after a great deal of study. It contains a set of proposals for how we might reform tariffs. I commend the review to all right hon. and hon. Members. We are reading it in detail before we come forward with our own proposals to help customers around the country with their tariffs.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Sandra Osborne and Ed Davey(12 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Mr Davey
My hon. Friend is right. Under the previous Government we had a multitude of tariffs, which became confusing and complex, but that Government failed to take action. It is good to know that Ofgem, with our support, has brought forward proposals after careful study, and we will act on them. Although it is possible to have too much simplification, which puts us in danger of reducing choice and competition, Ofgem is trying to strike the right balance and that is why we are studying its proposals so closely rather than dismissing them.